Side Gravy for Biryani

Ingredients:

3-4 cloves

1 elachi

1″ cinnamon

2 onions, finely chopped or sliced

1 1/2 tsps ginger-green chilli-garlic paste

3-4 small tomatoes, quartered or make a + sign on each, leaving them whole

1 tsp red chilli pwd

1/4 tsp turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp coriander pwd

pinch of cumin pwd

large pinch garam masala pwd

salt to taste

few curry leaves

2-3 tbsps thick coconut milk

1 1/2 tbsps oil

chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Dry roast for 2 mts and grind to a paste:

1 tsp khus khus

3 tbsps grated fresh coconut

2-3 cashew nuts

1 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and saute for a few secs. Add onions and fry till transparent. Add ginger-green chilli-garlic paste and saute for 3 mts. Add curry leaves, red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, coriander pwd, cumin pwd and combine. Add the quartered tomatoes and fry for 4-5 mts.
2 Add the ground paste and cook for 5 mts, stirring so that it does not stick to the vessel.
3 Add 2 cups of water and salt and bring to a boil. Cook with lid on simmer till the gravy thickens. Add thick coconut milk and combine. Turn off heat. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Turn off heat.
4 Serve with pulao, biryani, coconut rice or rotis.